Norms, perceptions and trust in Italy: a quantitative survey

This book presents the Italian findings of the TRUEDEM (Trust in EuropeanDemocracies) research project, an EU Horizon research project led by Chri-stian Haerpfer (University of Vienna) and Pippa Norris (Harvard University).It offers a multi-perspective analysis of political trust in contemporary Italy,a highly topical subject given the democratic challenges facing the country.Italy is at a critical juncture. Voter abstention has reached historic levels,political instability has become endemic, and citizens are increasinglyexpressing disillusionment with democratic institutions. However, academicunderstanding of the dynamics underlying trust remains fragmented. Thisbook fills that gap by providing the first comprehensive and empiricallygrounded analysis of political trust in Italy from the perspective of multiplestakeholders.The research builds on Norris' influential work on sceptical trust, whichposits that citizens in modern democracies increasingly base their politicaljudgements on rational assessments of the competence, integrity andaccountability of institutions, rather than on ideological loyalty or clienteli-stic exchange. This framework proves particularly illuminating for under-standing the Italian case, where traditional party alliances have collapsed.The volume combines qualitative and quantitative approaches across fourdistinct target groups: political elites, civil society leaders, citizens, and thegeneral population. Key topics include: how politicians and public officialsperceive citizens' trust and their own reliability; the effectiveness of civilsociety organisations as intermediaries and guardians of democracy; thegrowing detachment of citizens from politics and their expectations fordemocratic innovation; the complex relationship between technocracy andpolitical trust; and a quantitative analysis of perceived versus normative tru-stworthiness.This volume is aimed at scholars and students of political science, socio-logy and European studies, as well as policymakers, journalists, and infor-med citizens interested in understanding the roots of democratic malaise inItaly and potential paths towards renewed civic engagement.